Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University's Squibb Professor of Molecular Biology and department chair, was one of 79 new members elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Bassler is Princeton's 10th current academy member. Academy membership is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, and recognizes outstanding achievements and commitment. The new members were announced Oct. 17 at the academy's annual meeting.

Princeton researchers have for the first time revealed the mechanics of how bacteria build up slimy masses, called biofilms, cell by cell. When encased in biofilms in the human body, bacteria are a thousand times less susceptible to antibiotics, making certain infections, such as pneumonia, difficult to treat and potentially lethal.

Researchers have used mathematical analysis to figure out whether two proteins interact with each other, just by looking at their sequences and without having to train their computer model using any known examples.

Bassler was recognized for her "major role in the discovery that Earth’s most ancient unicellular organisms communicate with one another via chemical signalling molecules," a process known as quorum sensing.

A former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a Duke sociologist who has given decades of service and millions of dollars to the university, and a researcher tackling the most common cause of cancer death will be the first inductees into the Duke Graduate School Few-Glasson Alumni Society.

Associate Professor Alexei Korennykh is a recipient of the Bert L and N Kuggie Vallee Foundation 2016 Young Investigator Award. The Vallee Foundation seeks originality, innovation, and pioneering work by men and women who are dedicated to understanding fundamental biological processes.